


The Two

by RainofAugust



Series: Viri: The Wrath Years [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-12 17:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18451043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainofAugust/pseuds/RainofAugust
Summary: The Emperor's Wrath. Darth Nox. Two bright young women, faced with a Dark Council that resents them. Nobody expected them to get along, and when they formed an alliance, the Council was surprised. And then afraid.The Two presents tales of the Wrath, Viridana Dragoi, and her friend Darth Nox, Suvia Kallig, in the era between the class stories and KOTFE.





	1. Late

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much, TheElvenJedi, for the suggestion for this story! Comments are always welcome and appreciated, even if you have found this story years later. :)

“My lord, we’ll touch down in two minutes,” Andronikos says, peering at his passenger over his shoulder. The Sith sitting in the captain’s chair nods and turns her attention back to the windows. 

Andronikos lets it go. As close as he is to Suvia Kallig - now known as Darth Nox, Dark Councilor - her stormy expression is a warning to tread lightly. Very lightly. 

Khem Val has no such compunctions about remaining silent. ”Master, let me eat them for their insolence.” 

Suvia smirks in his direction. “I’m not adverse to the idea, if they continue to be this disrespectful, but I’m not yet sure who should be on the menu, Khem. Patience.” 

“Dark Lord, welcome to Korriban.” The Sith in the control tower says nervously, as Suvia’s ship lands. The Dark Lords of the Council have their own private spaceport at the back of the Sith Academy. Nobody had told Suvia; she’d had to ascertain it from some of Darth Thanaton’s remaining staff. She had her own guarded landing pad; nobody had originally informed her of that, either. Being on the Dark Council, thus far, has been about discovering all the things that she’s not being told. At any rate, the Dark Council’s spaceport is certainly nicer than the off-world welcome center where she’d arrived at the Sith Academy as a hapless acolyte. 

Suvia rises from her seat and saunters to the mirror in the corridor. Now that her battle with Thanaton has concluded, she is allowing herself to indulge in the finer things. The armor concealed beneath the robes is still utilitarian - it’s there to save her life, not to impress anyone - but outwardly, she is a picture of luxury. Her green lekku are adorned with fresh tattoos. Her makeup sparkles on her face. Her shadowsilk robes, custom-sewn in one of Ziost’s most celebrated design houses, are fastened with gold clips. The polesaber hanging from her belt - Lord Kallig’s gift to her - has been polished until it shimmers. 

She looks like a Dark Lord, she muses. She is beautiful. With a satisfied smile, she strides confidently out of the ship. 

A young Sith acolyte scampers toward her, sweating profusely. “Dark Lord, ah, um, we have a situation.” 

”Yes?” Suvia says, her voice neutral. 

”We--we weren’t expecting you and Lord Wrath to arrive at the same time. We only have one honor guard for both of you.” 

Suvia sighs, but before she can say anything, the Emperor’s Wrath storms up to them. “For Force’s sake, I’ve already told you that I don’t need an honor guard. I’m already late to the meeting and you’re delaying me further with this nonsense. Just give the honor guard to Darth Nox.” 

Suvia cooly appraises the Sith, taking her in. The Emperor’s Wrath, also known as Darth Viridana, is so tall that Suvia barely comes up to her elbow. Muscular. Deep blue eyes. Pale skin. Dramatic makeup - Suvia recognizes the brand by the sheen of the eyeshadow, and approves. Her robes are dark and foreboding, but obviously expensive, and the lightsaber at her waist is meticulously decorated in blue and red, with gold accents. Behind her, a Twi’lek woman and another Sith stand guard. 

Lord Wrath looks down at Suvia and nods. “Lord Nox. It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” 

”I concur,” Suvia says calmly. “Charmed, Lord Wrath. Although I must disagree with your opinion. You deserve an honor guard as much as I do. I’m willing to share. I take it you are also going to the Dark Council meeting?”

“Indeed,” the Wrath says. 

”Come, then,” Suvia says, nodding toward the Imperial Guards who are waiting silently by the doorway. “We’ll walk in together.” 

* 

Within the Dark Council’s chambers, Darth Marr glances over at Nox’s empty chair with surprise. One or more of the Councilors is usually absent during meetings - that in itself is not a rare event, to Marr's irritation - but Marr had not expected Nox to be among them. At all. 

”It seems our new Councilor forgets her duties,” Darth Ravage says, following Marr’s line of vision. “What can one expect from an alien?” 

”Silence,” Marr growls. 

”I’m also surprised that the Wrath is absent, after the fuss she made about being present for Dark Council meetings,” Ravage continues, undeterred. 

”As am I,” Marr says, leveling Ravage with a steely gaze. Even though his eyes are concealed behind his mask, Ravage can all but feel them burning into his soul. “And I am surprised you feel the need to comment on it so extensively. It was your responsibility to place both of them on the calendar and inform them of meetings. Did you?” 

”No, he did not.” The Wrath interjects from the doorway. Her arms are crossed and her eyes are blazing. “It is difficult to appear for a meeting you do not know about.” 

Darth Ravage grinds his teeth. “I see you managed to find out, regardless.” 

The Wrath smiles coldly. “You will quickly discover that I have a way of finding out about things, Ravage, yes.” 

”I don’t know why you even care,” Ravage grouses. “The last Wrath didn’t require this.” 

”And he’s working with the Jedi now. Are you quite sure you want me to follow in his footsteps, Ravage?” The Wrath smiles again, showing her teeth. Ravage says nothing, finally flustered into silence, as the Wrath takes her seat. 

”We cannot ask her to protect and defend our Empire if she does not know where to focus her fury,” Darth Nox says, striding into the room. “And my sphere of influence cannot operate if I am excluded from Council meetings. Don’t look so surprised to see me, Ravage. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” 

Darth Ravage’s lip curls. 

”What a becoming look, Ravage,” Darth Vowrawn chortles, winking at Nox. 

“I will not tolerate this sort of subterfuge again, Ravage,” Marr warns. “Wrath, Nox, I will personally ensure that you are informed of all Dark Council meetings. Anyone on this Council who tries to bar you from attending will be left at your mercy.” 

“Excellent,” Suvia purrs, sitting back in her seat. “Now, if we are done with juvenile obstruction attempts, I suggest we discuss the Empire.”


	2. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Qorit is the Sith word for "end," and is used to indicate the Sith prayer for the dead in my stories. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reads, comments, leaves kudos and supports my writing! <3

Whatever Darth Nox had thought about the Dark Council before assuming her chair, all of her illusions are shattered over the course of the Council meeting. To start, the Councilors are not alone in the room. In addition to the Wrath, there are numerous apprentices, lords and even Darths milling around in the background and taking notes. Every Councilor seems to have their own staff. Even the Wrath is being attended by the two women who accompanied her into the Dark Council chambers; a Twi’lek and a Sith apprentice. Unlike the other apprentices and lords, they each have a chair. During a break in the debates, the Councilors’ attendants bring in food, and Suvia eyes the covered dishes hungrily. 

_I could have brought someone with me,_ Suvia inwardly grumbles as she watches Darth Vowrawn’s apprentices bring him a fresh drink. The Wrath catches her eye. 

”Thirsty?” she asks, lifting an eyebrow. 

”That’s kind, Wrath,” Nox says. “I could use some water, actually.” 

”Jaesa, do you mind?” The Wrath asks, turning to her apprentice. The young woman - Jaesa, Suvia supposes - smiles, pulls a sealed bottle of water from a cooler next to her and walks it to Suvia. 

”You bring your own refreshments?” 

The Wrath raises an eyebrow. “Of course. You carry your own food and drink, and you don’t let it out of your sight or your hands for even a second. You don’t want to be poisoned.”

Suvia lifts an eyebrow. “So ostensibly, I should be careful about accepting this from you.” 

”You should, in theory, but it’s sealed, and I have neither the reason nor the desire to poison you. I certainly neither want nor need a Dark Council seat. I’m far more inclined to lightsabers than to covert cowardice, as well.” 

“Understood,” Suvia says, examining the bottle. It appears pristine, so she breaks the seal and takes a drink. 

* 

As the afternoon wears on, Suvia idly finds herself wondering if being poisoned would actually be preferable to listening to the members of the Dark Council snipe at each other. They discuss one issue after the next, some significant, some inconsequential, some completely unknown to Suvia. Every discussion seems to devolve into open warfare. 

Vette nudges her shoulder, offering her another ice-cold bottle of water. “Stay awake,” she warns in Ryl. The words wash over Suvia like a welcome balm, and she realizes that it has been years - nay, decades - since she has heard the Twi’lek language. She offers Vette a clandestine smile and sips the water. 

”…slavers.” Suvia snaps back to attention as the word reaches her ears. Darth Mortis is ranting. 

“Darth Marr, seven of my slavers on Nar Shaddaa have been murdered in the past month. The Hutts are no longer protecting them. I demand that the Wrath look into this.” 

”No,” the Wrath says, the word ice on her tongue. “I have no interest in wasting my time investigating your personal economic endeavors, particularly one that is as abhorrent as slavery.” 

”How dare you judge me!” 

”How dare you insinuate that I am here to be your servant and police your affairs,” the Wrath says, crossing her arms. 

”I do believe that there are other concerns that are far more pressing for the Wrath,” Darth Marr says drily. “Employ your own apprentices if you wish to pursue this, Mortis, and remember that the Wrath is not your personal concierge.” 

”Fine,” Mortis snaps. 

Darth Arho clears his throat. “Among the more pressing matters: Corellia. Our defeat there has cost the Empire much.” 

The Wrath frowns. “I left Corellia in a state of victory. It did not remain that way. I’d like to know what happened.” 

”You would need to ask Darth Decimus and Darth Hadra, both of whom are unavailable,” Darth Marr says drily. “I would learn the answer too, Wrath. There is no point in sending you to resolve conflicts and win battles for us if it’s all going to unravel the second you leave.” 

”Do our covert cells in Corellia still exist?” the Wrath asks, crossing her arms. “The Dark Temple?” 

”They do,” Darth Vowrawn says, steepling his fingers. “Never fear about that, Wrath. There will always be Corellians who favor the Sith and do not want to see their children shipped off to the Jedi. They protected the cells.” 

”We do have some hard figures,” Darth Arho says, activating a holo-projector with a map of Corellia. “We still have covert cells here, here and here. Outside of Coronet, we have another six.” 

”Good,” the Wrath says. “At least the Empire did not lose everything.” 

”No, but it’s no farther ahead than it was before that long and bloody battle,” Marr interjects. 

Darth Ravage cranes his neck to see the map, which has switched to a street view of Coronet City. “What’s that there? Those pens?” 

”The Coronet Zoo,” Darth Arho says. “It’s been decimated. Between the fighting and Darth Nox’s use of the animals for her Kaggath battle, there’s almost nothing left. Except for the jaggalors, of course. The Wrath saved those and transported them to Dromund Kaas.” 

”Why in the galaxy did you bother with that?” Ravage asks. 

”Because I chose to do so,” the Wrath replies, glaring at him. 

Suvia sighs and takes another sip of her water. The Wrath’s face is glacial, and Suvia cannot help but think that the Wrath is avoiding looking at her all of a sudden. 

“We will need to study what happened in Corellia in depth,” Marr says. “And prevent it from happening again. We will also need to replace Darth Hadra. I support Darth Karrid for the chair.” 

”Oh no,” Ravage sighs. “Gravus.” 

The words begin to run together as the Dark Council explodes into another argument. Suvia knows neither candidate, but when it comes to a vote, she aligns with Marr. 

”Karrid,” Suvia says softly. 

”Of course, the alien votes for the alien,” Mortis mutters. “Wrath? Your vote?”

“I abstain,” the Wrath says, crossing her arms. “I’ve worked with Darth Gravus. I’ve found him to be fair, intelligent and a good tactician. I’d have no issue with him on the Dark Council. I’ve neither met nor worked with Darth Karrid. I thus cannot fairly choose between them.” 

“So vote for Gravus!” Mortis snaps. “If nothing else, because he’s human.” 

The Wrath shrugs. “I don’t consider that relevant to the job description.”

Suvia stares at the Wrath, disbelieving. To her left, Darth Marr is nodding his head in agreement. 

”Wrath, can I take this to mean that you are in favor of alien participation in the Empire?” Marr asks. 

”You can,” the Wrath says. “Anti-alien bigotry is most tiresome. Aliens should be fully included in our Empire.” 

”Disgusting,” Mortis says, curling his lip. 

The Wrath meets his eyes. “Why?” 

Mortis flushes. “Because they are inferior.”

”How?” The Wrath asks politely. “Intellectually? Force ability? Aesthetics? Can you explain your bias, Mortis?” 

”I don’t have to explain anything to you,” Moris says, curling his lip. 

”You _cannot_ in this case, because it’s not based in reality,” the Wrath chuckles. “Regardless, we’ve veered from the subject at hand. I stand by my abstention because I am only familiar with one candidate.” 

“You cannot force her to vote, Mortis,” Vowrawn chuckles, sipping his drink. 

The Council devolves into another shouting match and Suvia puts her hand to her forehead, suddenly exhausted. 

* 

The debates rage until the sun has set over Korriban. At eight, Marr calls the proceedings to a close. 

”We’re all clear on our next steps, then,” Marr says, trying to maintain some semblance of order. “Arho, to Ilum. Wrath, back to Athiss. We will take another vote on Gravus and Karrid next week. For now, adjourned.” 

The Dark Councilors rise from their chairs and amble toward their private spaceport, surrounded by their entourages. The Wrath and her team pack up quickly and veer toward Darth Vowrawn. 

”Wrath, a word?” Nox says, struggling to keep up with her. 

The Wrath stops. “Yes?” 

”I would like it if we could meet when we’re both in Dromund Kaas. Athiss has some artifacts which might be of interest to my sphere.”

An unreadable expression crosses the Wrath’s face. “Yes. I think we should. However, I can’t talk right now. I’ll have Vette and Jaesa get in touch to set it up.” 

”Is something on your mind, Wrath?” 

“How could you use the zoo animals as weapons?” the Wrath says, her voice low. 

Suvia shrugs. “They were ferocious. I did what I needed to do. The animals were a means to an end. It’s a pity you took the jaggalors. I could have used them.” 

“I see,” the Wrath says, abruptly turning on her heel and walking away. 

* 

The Wrath is silent on the walk back to her ship, and she continues to say nothing until her vessel is safely in hyperspace. 

”Viri, are you ever going to talk again?” Vette glances nervously over at the Wrath’s chair. 

The Wrath takes a deep breath, opens her mouth and shuts it again. Without a word she rises from her chair and walks swiftly to her cabin, gesturing for Jaesa and Vette to follow her. As soon as the door closes, she puts her hands to her face and sinks to her bed. 

”It’s the zoo animals, isn’t it?” Jaesa asks. Viri nods behind her hands. 

”Viri, it’s all right,” Vette say. “I’m sure they didn’t suffer much. And you saved the jaggalors, right? Not all of the animals went to fight with Nox.” 

”They were probably shot instantly,” Jaesa volunteers helpfully. “They weren’t tortured. And they didn’t starve to death. With the zoo empty, there wouldn’t have been anyone to feed them.” 

”They didn’t deserve that,” Viri whispers , bowing her head. 

”You’ve killed so many people, and you’re crying over some mangy nexu and sleen?” Jaesa says. “I don’t get it.” 

The Wrath takes her hands away from her face and meets Jaesa’s eyes. “Those animals were raised in a zoo. They trusted people to care for them. Not to use them as weapons. I knew some of those animals, Jaesa. I fed them. I helped my mother nurse them back to health when they were sick. My mother worked so hard to keep them healthy and happy. To know they were slaughtered that way…”

”Nox didn’t have that bond,” Jaesa tries. “She did what she needed to do. As I’ve heard it, Thanaton made many creative attempts to murder her.” 

”I don’t doubt that, and I don’t envy Nox’s situation with Thanaton. I can't judge that. I’m still sick. _I knew them._ ” 

“Tell us about them,” Vette says. A clutch of holo-portraits flickers merrily away on top of the dresser, and several of them depict Viri with various wild animals. 

Viri rises slowly and picks up one of the holos, which shows her sitting with a jaggalor. “She was my favorite. Maya. She had so much spirit. So intelligent. She knew how to open doors, so we had to put an extra lock on the panel outside her enclosure. When she saw me, she’d run right over to the gate.” 

A second picture catches Viri’s eye. “This sleen had several names. We couldn’t decide on one. It took us a long time to get to know him; to figure out who he was. We finally decided on Shadow. He was so shy, and he was much happier when we gave him places to hide in his paddock. He liked to chew on wooden boxes, so the keepers had to store his feed in a metal drum.” 

“You really knew them all by name?” Jaesa asks. 

Viri smiles as she picks up a third portrait of a nexu kitten. “Every one. They were friends, Jaesa. This is Ellvin. He didn’t live that long. He had a congenital condition that shortened his lifespan. While he was alive, we doted on him. He’d curl up on your lap and go to sleep.” 

Jaesa and Vette listen silently as Viri goes through more of her holos. 

”This one was fierce. You couldn’t go into his enclosure, and there were triple locks. When my mother needed to examine him, he had to be sedated.” 

”She loved to swim.” 

”He was so silly. He’d roll on his back in the dirt.” 

”You loved them,” Vette says quietly. 

”Yes, I did,” Viri says softly. “They…were never afraid of me. Never judged me.”

“Why don’t you do a Qorit for them?” Vette asks. “Can you do that blessing for animals, or just people?”

”You can do it for anyone you love or respect,” Viri says, walking over to her small altar and settling into a meditation stance. 

”May we stay, or would you like to do this alone?” Jaesa asks.”I’d like to support you.” 

”Same,” Vette says. 

”You’re welcome to stay,” Viri says, lighting a Sith brazier and centering into the Force. Vette and Jaesa take meditation poses on either side of her, closing their eyes and listening to the long list of names Viri sadly recites.


End file.
